The National Hockey League has folded. After nearly two decades of losing franchises, the owners have had enough. A consortium led by the owners of the Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars has decided to leave the league and fold their franchises, which numbered 16.

The NHL felt that with its current economic model it simply couldn't sustain the current form of the NHL with just fourteen teams.

Calls were made, meetings held, charts analyzed, and now a league has been born from the ashes of the debt-ridden NHL-

WORLD HOCKEY LEAGUE​

Featuring thirty teams, the league promises international hockey on a scale never before seen.

In an interesting twist, there will be open tryouts held for all thirty teams, who are inviting players from the world over to try out for at least one team of their choice.

There will be no salary cap, an 82-game season, and four rounds of playoffs.

Here is the Open Try-Out form:

*NOTE THAT EACH HFBOARDS USER IS ENTITLED TO TWO SEPARATE PLAYERS
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An absolute beast, Verde stands an imposing 5'6 in the net, and relies on agility and quick reflexes to stonewall opposing shooters.
Starred in the junior B EOJHL for the Westport Rideaus, he lives the #gongshow lifestyle!

Bio (not mandatory):
You've probably faced Gurdeep in your local men's ball hockey league. He's that guy. You know, the guy who never even played hockey and is calling 'bar down' when he hits the bar behind the 45 year-old drunk goalie.

He's never skated, but his size makes him a force on the ball hockey floor. When he heard about the Indian team in the new WHL, he was grasped by some higher power to buy some old CCM tacks and head over to his dad's homeland to play some pro hockey, and 'muck some barns,' as he so delicately put it.

Last season Pirelli went oversea's to play for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. As a 11 year old Pirelli watched a NCAA hockey game featuring the University of Massachusetts and goaltender Jonathan Quick at his finest. He was amazed by the ability Quick displayed stopping shot after shot as he shut out Clarkson University. Pirelli had grown tired of goal-tending in the Italian Youth Soccer programs and immediately took on the sport of Ice Hockey where he felt he could make much more of a difference for his team.

As for Pirelli's game he models himself after Jonathan Quick. He is very athletic, almost to a fault due to his amazing ability to react to plays as they happen in the offensive zone, not the best puckhandler, coaches shudder at the thought of him chassing down a puck in the corner. Understands angles well, not the most poised goaltender in the crease due to relying on his athhleticism. Strong glove hand, sometimes susceptible to opening up the five hole due to overreacting on plays, not a huge issue and should improve over time.

Bio (not mandatory): Blas Vivar, born of old Spanish Nobility, he is the eldest son of the current Count of Mouromorto. Having lived a life of luxury, Vivar fell in love with the sport of hockey at the age of 8 after witnessing a game featuring Mark Messier and the New York Rangers during one of his fathers business trips to New York. After this he decided to dedicate himself to the sport of hockey. Trained on the European ice surface, he still styled his game after Mark Messier. Prior to trying out for the WHL he was a member of the Spanish National Team where he helped to lead Spain to the final game of the IIHF Division II Group A finals but lost 3-2 in OT (1G, 1A).

Bio (not mandatory): Big Patrick Harper, Son of an Irish Potato farmer, is not stranger to hard physical work. His fascination with the sport of hockey began early life after watching one of his uncles play in the local semi pro league. By the age of 14, he already reached 6'0 and 200lb and could easily be confused for an adult. By 16 he was sent away to be a member of a junior team in the city of Dublin. By 19 he had impressed his coaches enough to earn a spot on the Irish National team where he scored the game winning goal against Spanish National Team in the final game of the IIHF Division II Group A finals.

Sirotkin stunned most of Europe after choosing the WHL over a lucrative career in Formula 1 Racing. Sirotkin cited the danger of the sport as the reason for his decision to pursue a professional hockey career. "These Pirelli tires are a joke!" exclaimed Sirotkin "It's only a matter of time before somebody is seriously injured or maybe worse due to one of these tire explosions that are happening all too often... I'm not gonna be that guy" Sirotkin added. The decision has left Sauber a mess but anyway's back to hockey!

There is no doubt Sirotkin can be a successful pro hockey player. "The guy's hands are insane!" Noted a European Conference scout, "He's so quick and agile it's almost impossible to line the guy up, Even when you make contact he's already shifted his momentum and is dancing away with the puck." Skating is a big part of Sirotkin's game but what the guy can do with the puck on his stick can not be overlooked.. Datsyukian like hands with the vision of Igor Larionov! (Sirotkin's mentor and agent). Some scout's have even attributed his elite level racing experience as a main reason for his quick reactions, ultra fast hands and ability to see plays develop at a very high level. Not a very physical player, can bounce off check's but isn't going to lay anybody out. Make's up for lack of physicality on defense with a very active stick. Shot is of average to slightly above average strength but he can certainly pick the corners with his above average wrist shot accuracy. Offensive wizard. Born in Moscow it would be a dream to play in front of his hometown.

The scouts have been raving about this guy at the underage tournaments and during the combines. Sirotkin can't wait to prove to the world he's made the right decision.

However with the breaking down of the NHL and his love of his home country, Maruisz Stemkowski has yet to find his place in pro hockey. But now he has an opportunity with the formation of the World Hockey League to realize his dreams. He has been offered tryout's by many teams but only two teams have his interest. The Halifax Highlanders and Eisbaren Berlin. Maruisz has visited Halifax and found the city quite attractive. While he finds Eisbaren Berlin another good choice due to it being close to his home.

Name:Richard Dick
Birthplace (Nationality): St. Louis, Missouri
Age:23
Height:6'2
Weight:195
Position:LW
Player Type: PLY
Top 3 Attributes:Off. Awareness, Passing, Speed.
Bottom 2 Attributes:Face offs and Fighting
Accessories: All CCM except stick. #4 Warrior Widow stick (low tendency) Shoots Right
2 Teams Requested for TryOuts:LV Diablos and the SD Mariners.
Bio (not mandatory): Played in the NAHL for one year, he dominated the league winning the scoring title and the league championship. This wooed the scouts at Michigan. He went to play for 4 years at Michigan in the NCAA, getting his degree in Physics. This helps him be in the right place at the right time. He is often found backdoor wide open or on the PP setting up the point men. He likes to go through people instead of him decking around defenders. He is usually the first guy back on the fore check with his speed, coming through the middle and lining up the puck carrier for a crushing hit.

Name: Sean O'Connor
Birthplace (Nationality): Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Irish)
Age: 19
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 200 lbs
Position: LW (LH)
Player Type: PLY
Top 3 Attributes: Passing, Puck Control, Offensive Awareness
Bottom 2 Attributes: Faceoffs, Shot Blocking
Accessories: All Bauer, 9' radius, 80 flex, mid open curve, jersey #34
2 Teams Requested for TryOuts: Edmonton Eagles, London Hockey Club (will only play on same team as brother)
Bio (not mandatory): Sean O'Connor grew up on an Alberta farm. Hardened by the harsh Canadian winter, he and his brother Ryan embody the term 'truculence'.
The two have played on the same team since birth and are inseparable.

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Name: Ryan O'Connor
Birthplace (Nationality): Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Irish)
Age: 19
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 200 lbs
Position: RW (RH)
Player Type: SNP
Top 3 Attributes: Wrist Shot Accuracy, Wrist Shot Power, Offensive Awareness
Bottom 2 Attributes: Faceoffs, Shot Blocking
Accessories: All CCM, 9' radius, 80 flex, mid open curve, jersey #43
2 Teams Requested for TryOuts: Edmonton Eagles, London Hockey Club (will only play on same team as brother)
Bio (not mandatory): Ryan O'Connor grew up on an Alberta farm. Hardened by the harsh Canadian winter, he and his brother Sean embody the term 'truculence'.
The two have played on the same team since birth and are inseparable.

Mateo Pollari was regarded as the great hope of Italian hockey. Unfortunately, a serious injury curbed his development at the age of 19. Despite that, his famous speed and hitting ability (with his 6'3 210 frame) has remained intact, along with his very solid complete two way game from the back end. He is adept at moving the puck and his slapshot is a weapon to be feared. After dominating the Italian league for a few years and having no opportunity to move to a higher level, he has jumped at the opportunity to participate in the highest level of hockey in the world and play in the new league. Expect his fantastic play from the back end to make him a staple of the new league for years to come.

Renato Lima grew up in an affluent part of Sao Paulo, Brazil. His parents are first generation immigrants from Italy so he is eligible to play for the Italian National team. As it is with most Brazilians Renato loved playing soccer and dominated the academy soccer scene in Brazil. He was a highly touted prospect but after going to a hockey game on a vacation to Tampa his life changed forever. Watching Marty St. Louis and Alex Ovechkin play at the Tampa Bay Times Forum led to Renato quitting soccer and moving to the states to live with his Aunt and Uncle, just so he could play hockey. He was only 5'9" but his work ethic was unmatched. The garage would soon become battered with puck marks and Renato was playing hockey everyday. He moved up from A to AAA in just 1 year and at the age of 17 he packed his bags to play with the Indiana Ice in the USHL.

Speaking Portuguese, Italian, and practicing his English on the long bus rides across the country. He started on the fourth line, but by mid season Renato was centering the first line of the top team in the USHL! Renato won MVP and was offered a full scholarship to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. His only year there was spent working hard and bulking up to 180 pounds. Now it is off to Russia to join his italian buddy Milan Pirelli in Russia with either CSKA Moscow or Lokomotive Yaroslav

He is the younger brother Bjorn Berg. He is an excellent sniper. He has been playing in NA hoping to have a Career in the NHL. His dreams came to an end when the Nhl collapsed. He decided to rerun to Sweden to play with his brother.

Name: Lucas Morgan
Birthplace (Nationality): Brussels, Belgium
Age: 18
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 210lbs
Position: Defense
Player Type: DFD
Top 3 Attributes: Slap shot power, body checking, fighting skill
Bottom 2 Attributes: Discipline, passing
Accessories: #5
2 Teams Requested for TryOuts: ZSC Lions and Halifax Highlanders
Bio (not mandatory): A Belgian prospect that was excited to be drafted but will now go to tryout's in Halifax and Switzerland instead to try and earn a spot in the new World Hockey League. A pure defensive defenseman that has a powerful shot from the point, Morgan is a defender of both the defensive zone and his teammates. A fiery player that sometimes ends up too often in the penalty box, he makes up for it by being a rock in the defensive zone.

He was an intriguing prospect that found himself projected in the 4th round of the NHL draft but is now a possibility for two teams. He works best with an offensive partner who can feed him the puck at opportune times to let loose his cannon. Morgan is a hard working player who will fight for every inch of ice and sacrifice his body on every shot. He's not a player that will wow you but he is a player that every comes to respect.